Ducks News

Peeters Named Goaltending Consultant

by
Staff Writer
/ Anaheim Ducks

The Ducks announced on Tuesday that they have named Pete Peeters as their new goaltending consultant.

“Pete Peeters has a proven track record as one of the top goaltending consultants in the league,” said Executive Vice President/General Manager Bob Murray. “We are pleased to announce he’s joined the team.”

Peeters, 51 (8/17/57), joins the Ducks after having served as the Edmonton Oilers’ goaltending coach for the last eight seasons. During his tenure, he helped Dwayne Roloson backstop the Oilers to a Stanley Cup Final appearance in 2006. Prior to joining Edmonton, Peeters spent four seasons as the goaltending coach for the Winnipeg Jets and Phoenix Coyotes from 1993-97.

The Edmonton, Alberta native captured the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s best goaltender for the 1982-83 season. He won the trophy as part of a career year with Boston in which he placed second in Hart Trophy (League MVP) balloting behind Wayne Gretzky. He also recorded a league-leading 40 wins and a 2.36 goals-against average (GAA) that season. In his first full NHL season in 1979-80, Peeters earned a 29-5-5 record, helping the Philadelphia Flyers to a 35-game undefeated streak, which is the longest in NHL history. That same year, he helped the Flyers advance to the Stanley Cup Final, falling to the New York Islanders in six games. In his 13-year career (1978-91), Peeters appeared in 489 career games with Philadelphia, Boston and Washington, recording a 246-155-51 mark with a 3.08 GAA. He was also a four-time All-Star, appearing in the mid-season classic in 1980, 1981, 1983 and 1984.

Peeters was selected by Philadelphia in the eighth round (135th overall) of the 1977 NHL Amateur Draft. He represented the Canada Cup-winning Canadian squad in 1984, going 3-1-0 with a 3.33 GAA in four games. Peeters and his wife Laurie have two sons and one daughter.

Peeters spoke to reporters via conference call from his home in Edmonton on Tuesday morning. Following is a transcript:

On the opportunity to work with J.S. Giguere and Jonas HillerI’m following in huge footsteps with Francois Allaire. He was there for a long time and very respected in the field of goaltending. I don’t see trying to change anything with J.S. or Jonas. I’ll just be there for them. I have to earn their trust first and foremost. I watched them play for a long time. There is no intent of me trying to change their style whatsoever. If they need help at anytime, they’ll have somebody to lean on. I think they are two very high quality goaltenders.

On his coaching styleI’m a pretty laid back guy. I really enjoy working with all types of goaltenders in the system whether it would be juniors, ECHL, AHL or the NHL. Probably the satisfaction of my job comes from seeing the guys achieving the goals that they’re looking to achieve, whether it’s winning a Stanley Cup, leaving juniors and turning pro or playing in the ECHL or American League, eventually working up the ladder and getting to play in the National Hockey League. If I can help them attain their goals, then I think I’m doing a good thing.On past involvement with any of the Ducks goaltendersI don’t know Jonas or J.S. at all personally. I’ve watched J.S. play for many years and Jonas last year. I’m very impressed with what he did for the Ducks last year. I don’t know any of the goalies in the system. I think it’s going to be a great learning experience for me going to a new organization and a breath of a fresh air. I’m really looking forward to getting to know all the goalies, as well as them getting to know me. In order to be successful, you have to earn their trust first. They have to understand that I’m not trying to reinvent the wheel.

On replacing Francois AllaireI really respect what Francois Allaire does, as well as his brother Benoit and the other goalie coaches in the National Hockey League. Obviously when you are coaching at that level, you are good at what you do. I am looking forward to going to a new situation and seeing how things are done in another organization. Our ultimate goal at the National Hockey League level is to win the Stanley Cup and hopefully we can attain those goals. Anaheim sure took a good run at it again last year. Definitely the fans have some exciting things to look forward to again this year.

I think Francois is now with Toronto. When I get to met Jonas and J.S. we are going to have to get to know each other. That is probably going to take a little bit of time. As I said earlier, I’m not there to try to change how they play. I’m there to assist them if they have questions. If things go a little tough sometimes, I’ll be there to help them get out of those ruts, working with their style that they do play. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t different than Francois. I am. I’m Pete Peeters and the guys will get to know me for who I am. It’s always an interesting course that you go through with the veteran guys. It’s always a two-way street and amazing. You’re always interchanging ideas and at times you teach each other. You never stop learning. If you stop learning, you go stagnant and can’t be successful. That is what I love about working with the goalies is not only can I help them, but at times they teach me things too.

On previous interactions with Ducks head coach Randy CarlyleRandy and I played against each other and then we worked for the Winnipeg Jets for a year before they folded. I went on to Phoenix and Randy became a head coach with the Manitoba Moose. I learned a lot from Randy as far as watching the game. I still wouldn’t profess to have any of the knowledge that any of those head coaches do, but when you play goal your whole life, you view the game in a different light. When I used to sit with Randy, he used to help me out a lot and try to teach me as the year went on about what was going on out on the ice. I would ask questions at appropriate times and they were very helpful. It started to teach me the game a little bit from a defenseman’s point of view and a forward’s point of view instead of always looking at it from a goalie’s point of view.

On the change in climate moving to Anaheim from EdmontonIt will be pretty nice, especially if it’s minus-30 or 40 in Edmonton and I get to go to something a little bit warmer. That is always refreshing. It breaks up the winter.

On still putting on goalie gear for practicesI still like to do that, especially with the younger guys. I was very fortunate to be taught by Jacques Plante, Gerry Cheevers and Warren Strelow. I found through learning from those three great goaltenders that sometimes things get lost in verbal communication. If you can touch, feel and see, the learning aspect is sometimes a lot quicker. When I was working with Curtis Joseph and Bob Essensa in Edmonton, when they saw me have all the gear on, jump in the net and actually stop a puck or two, they had a little different respect for me. They realize I’m older, but I can still stop a puck. The amazing thing was when I was just a young guy breaking in Philadelphia, Jacques Plante was 55 or 56 and I remember Bobby Clarke, Reggie Leach, Bill Barber and Rick MacLeish couldn’t score on him at that age. That is how great a goaltender he was. It made me understand that there was so much to the game that even though Jacques wasn’t seeing the puck like a young fellow would, the basics and the positioning allowed him to do so much still. Goaltending is such a unique position with angles, patience, letting the gap close between you and the shooter and letting him make his move first. There are basics, but finer points to the game too. I find that a real big asset, to be able to put on the gear. The other players like to too, the forwards and d. They get a kick out of seeing the old guy come out on the ice. They think ‘What the heck is he doing out here? He is going to get killed’. Then, you surprise them a little bit and they get a kick out of it. I think it works well all the way around.

I took a couple of full practices with Edmonton last year to give Roloson a break. You watch a guy like Sheldon Souray come down, I knew the puck went by me because I heard it hit the end glass, but I definitely didn’t see it. The guys are good. They understand you’re a little older and they take it a little easy on you. But if you get in there, the old competiveness kicks in too. It’s fun. That is why I do it.

On what he’ll remember most from the past eight seasons in EdmontonI think the greatest thrill of coaching in Edmonton for me was that I was born and raised in the city of Edmonton. I played my minor hockey in Edmonton, but after minor hockey, I had to leave the city to go play in major junior and pro. I never had the opportunity to play for the Oilers, which I guess was probably always a dream. I’ll remember getting to coach with them, being with a great coaching staff, taking a run at the Stanley Cup and experiencing the excitement of the city when that was happening. Edmonton has tremendous fans. They are very passionate. They hold all their sports teams to a high standard. It’s expected at any level in any city. You hold your teams to a high standard. It was a great thrill to be working in the city that I grew up in.